a. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to management of waste, and more particularly, to systems and methods of processing and transporting waste.
b. Background Art
Residential and/or commercial waste is typically collected by trucks and transported to a local disposal facility (e.g., a landfill or incinerator), or to a local transfer station where the waste may then be transferred to a remote disposal facility (e.g., by barge, railcar, another truck, etc.). After arriving at the disposal facility, the waste may be deposited directly into a landfill or incinerator, or processed (e.g., sorted, sized, and/or classified) and baled before being placed in the landfill or incinerator, possibly after a storage period.
Although the waste may be somewhat compacted by the trucks, it is generally considered to be “loose” waste. Transporting loose waste introduces physical and economic challenges. By way of example, vehicles (e.g., trucks, barges, railcars) are often filled with loose waste long before approaching the vehicle's weight-carrying capacity. If the waste is further compacted directly in the vehicle and/or shipping container for transporting the waste, the vehicle and/or shipping container may need to be reinforced, thereby making the vehicle and/or shipping container heavier and more expensive than might otherwise be needed. Reinforced vehicles and/or shipping containers also weigh more, thereby reducing the available weight-carrying capacity.
Transporting loose waste also gives rise to environmental and regulatory considerations. Loose waste may also decay during transit; and, therefore, the vehicles and/or shipping containers often require extensive cleaning and/or decontamination before they can be reused. The cleaning and decontamination processes also create waste (often liquid waste) that must be further processed. In addition, loose waste may blow away after being dumped (e.g., at the disposal facility), or may blow out of the transportation vehicle as the vehicle moves. Loose waste also attracts birds and other vermin, which may carry disease. Accordingly, it is often mandated by law that loose waste be transported in an environmentally secure manner, and that loose waste be transported by dedicated vehicles and/or shipping containers. These dedicated containers or vehicles are returned to their point of origin empty, further increasing cost and reducing efficiencies.